1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a holder or vise for objects, more particularly, reversible and flippable jaws for securely clamping various sizes of coins.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 cfr 1.97 and 1.98
In recent times, engraving artists have adopted the use of coins as a canvas in which to carve beautiful designs and styles of art work. Collectors, seeing the appeal of these coins, will acquire them at the cost of many thousands of dollars.
Coin carving artists use hammers, chisels, and pneumatic impact devices to create their art. These tools require that the coin be held rigid during carving. The most secure way of holding a coin is for a large percentage of the circumference of the coin be held by jaws which fit that particular circumference precisely. In this way, there is less chance that the edges of the coin will be damaged by the jaws during some of the more severe operations carried out by the coin carving artist.
These artists are familiar with a number of methods of holding coins. For example, a set of pins protruding from the top of the jaws of an engravers ball vise (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,760 to Lindsay). Another method includes devices similar to a small three jaw chuck. Another is a tube, where the inside diameter of one end of the tube is machined to fit the diameter of a particular coin, and made into a collet. The collet can then be closed tight around the coin either with a vise or a screw that is inserted between the two halves and then tightened. Still another method is two half circles, machined as two flat templates or jaws, and whos inside diameter matches a particular coin. These half circles are then secured on the top of a vise.
This last method, consisting of two half circles, works well, but in order to cover all six of the current United States coin sizes, one would need six sets of jaws (a total of twelve individual jaws). This is an inelegant solution for craftsmen and artists.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,261,055 to Dulaney discloses a holder meant to secure watch movements while a horologist performed work on the watch. The Dulaney device is four sided, allowing various shapes to be held depending on the configuration of the device. The operations performed on watch movements are less severe than those on coins, and the design of the Delaney device does not allow for the rigidity required by coin carvers.
This inadequacy is due to a number of issues. One problem is that the jaws typically do not offer a very large percentage of contact between the device and the circumference of the held object, a necessity for coin carving. Another, more difficult problem, is that the clamping screw is quite far away from the object being clamped. This is not an issue for watch movements, as the horologist needs delicacy to avoid damaging his work. In fact, usually the clamping screw is a thumb screw; meaning it would be quite difficult to over tighten the device. If, however, this thumb screw is replaced with one that can be turned with a wrench, and the torque necessary to hold fast a coin is applied, the device will flex.